Cate Sullivan is no damsel in distress. She's kept herself and her son safe for six long years. Built a good life in Indian Lake. But now that her drug-dealing ex-husband is moving his operation here, that life is about to explode.

Her instincts tell her to trust Detective Trent Davis. That he's more than just a handsome cop doing his duty. The former Green Beret has even formed a fast bond with her son. But there's something he's not telling her. Some darkness that keeps him from giving in to the feelings she knows are growing between them. Cate trusts Trent to keep her safe, but the real question is whether he'll trust himself with her heart.

This is an exceptional romantic fiction novel that inspires women to achieve their dreams and warms the hearts of the romantics. It is a beautifully well-written story with a clean context. It is suitable for anybody who loves a good romance and yearns to be inspired to make a change in their circumstances. - Susan Sewell for Readers' Favorite

Guest Post

The Dangerous Life of a Drug Task Detective

There’s not a city, town or hamlet in the United States that are not affected by illegal drug sales, drug addiction, overdoses and drug related deaths. For all the families struggling with this horror, and mine is no exception, drug addiction of a loved one can be overwhelming, frightening and yes, dangerous.

The small town that I live in is just such a very real place. In fact, our county is one of the top two “dangerous” drug areas in the state of Indiana. We have more drug-related deaths than any other county---at the moment. As each weekend approaches, many of us brace for the overdose deaths we will read about in the newspaper. There’s even a billboard as you drive into town, posting the number of drug-related 911 calls each week and the total of deaths for the year.

I interviewed several Drug Task Force officers for this book. Their stories were dark, harrowing, shocking and terrifying. From all aspects, the officers being called to the scene face all kinds of dangers, including the parents of the addicts or drug dealers who are in so much denial they will not only lie to the officers, but will physically attack an officer. Then the officer is required/expected to perform his duty and arrest the parent when in fact, this diversion only allows the drug dealer time to escape.

Several of my interviewees have been on multiple “stings”. Some of these well-orchestrated “stings” required a great deal of stake-outs, much like we see in movies. Boring, time-consuming and frustrating in their lack of progress. At the same time, stake-outs eventually produce results.

Though I asked, I was never allowed to accompany an officer on a stake-out or sting. I’m sure most John Q Citizens wouldn’t want to “go there” but if I had the chance I would have gone.

My observation was that our officers are not paid enough monetarily, or in respect for all and everything that they do to protect our towns and cities, our everyday lives. Too often we forget they are “there” all around us. Our concern is a speeding ticket. His/her concern is a bullet through the head.

One of the most incredible incidents that occurred during the writing of this book was at my job. For those who don’t know, I’m the financial manager for my brother-in-law’s dental office. One Monday morning, I came in and asked one of our “girls/assistants” how her weekend was. She was shaken and said, “I was a victim of a drive by shooting.”

She then related to me that her son-in-law…a Drug Task Force team member for the local police had been the target of a gang drive by. However, the gang had shot up the nearby “guest house” on the large farm where my employee and her family live in both the “big farm house” and the “guest house.” Because one of the gang members had been arrested and jailed two days prior, the rest of the gang members decided to “teach the cop a lesson”. They shot up both houses and his police car.

The bullet missed my employee’s head by inches. She could have been killed.

This is the kind of terror that happens in the everyday life of our men and women in blue.

If that isn’t THE DANGER ZONE, I don’t know what is.

Other Books in the Series

About the Author

Catherine Lanigan is the international bestselling and award-winning author of forty published titles in both fiction and non-fiction, including the novelizations of Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile, as well as over half a dozen anthologies, including “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living your Dream”, “Chicken Soup for the Writer’s Soul”, and more. Ms. Lanigan’s novels have been translated into dozens of languages including German, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese, Chinese, and Japanese. Ms. Lanigan’s novels are also available in E-books on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com, Apple Store, Mobi and Kobo. Several of her titles have been chosen for The Literary Guild and Doubleday Book Clubs. Her Vietnam war-based novel, The Christmas Star, won the Gold Medal Award Top Pick from Romantic Times Magazine and has also won Book of the Year Romance Gold Award from ForeWord Magazine as well as Book of the Year Romance from Reader’s Preference.

Lanigan is the author of a trilogy of non- fiction books regarding angelic intervention in human life: Angel Watch, Divine Nudges and Angel Tales published by HCI and Cedar Fort. Skyhorse published Lanigan’s “how-to” book on writing: Writing the Great American Romance Novel. Lanigan was tasked by the NotMYkid Foundation to write a non-fiction book addressing teen addictions. Ms. Lanigan’s first Young Adult adventure novel, The Adventures of Lillie and Zane: The Golden Flute, was published by Cedar Fort.

Currently, she has published seven novels in the Shores of Indian Lake series for Harlequin Heartwarming: Love Shadows, Heart’s Desire, A Fine Year for Love, Katia’s Promise,Fear of Falling and Sophie’s Path. Protecting the Single Mom pubs April, 2016. She has recently contracted for two more in the series: Wedding for Isabelle and A Bride for Mica.

As a cancer survivor, Ms. Lanigan is a frequent speaker at literary functions and book conventions as well as inspiring audiences with her real stories of angelic intervention from her Angel Tales series of books. She is an outspoken advocate for domestic violence and abuse and was honored by The National Domestic Violence Hotline in Washington, D.C. (THE EVOLVING WOMAN). She has been a guest on numerous radio programs including “Coast to Coast” and on television interview and talk show programs as well as blogs, podcasts and online radio interview programs.